Broken Strings Are Good Things

Do you play guitar? Ever broke a string playing something important? Ever break a string while leading worship? It's happened to me several times in the last few years, actually. I've learned to stay ahead of the game by changing the strings more often and running a folded bit of very fine sandpaper over the saddle grooves to knock down any burrs that might encourage string breakage.

Just this last Sunday I broke my "A" string during the second song of a six-song worship list. Well, I muddled through the rest of the song, singing my heart out to the Lord. But then I had to stop, pull the appropriate bridge pin and get the ruined string out of my way. While I was attempting to check my tuning, I explained that certainly "King David broke a string now and then." The guitar sounded in tune, so we continued.


However, although the remaining five strings on the guitar were in tune with themselves, the whole guitar had gone slightly sharp. (Don't worry - I'm getting closer to the point of this post)
This might have worked out alright, except that mine was not the only instrument making music to the Lord. My guitar was definitely sounding sour playing along with a piano, a saxophone and two other guitars. So I stopped playing.

And that's when my frustration and disruption turned to blessing.

First, I let my electric rhythm guitar guy know in "stage sign language" that he would have to take over. This young man is a member of our youth group and my mishap provided him the opportunity step up and shoulder a little more responsibility. And he did so fabulously, with the right tempos and chord changes. I congratulated him later.

Secondly, the Lord checked my pride. I really am not one to be arrogant, or really even that prideful. But sometimes I can see it on the horizon and it worries me, you know what I mean? Every time I take up my guitar and face a microphone and a group of worshippers and begin to lead . . . I feel the weight of the responsibility and must be on my guard so that "self" doesn't get in the way of the Spirit. This was an opportunity to fully realize that, well, I am expendable.

Third, with my instrument down for the count, I could let go of it, put away the pick and raise my hands and worship Almighty God along with the rest of the body. It. Felt. Wonderful. There are so many times while playing that I want nothing more than to lift my hands in worship, but I just can't do that every time I feel like it, and especially not when the rest of the team is counting on the sound I'm making to lead them.

So, as frustrating as it is when guitar strings break or anything else doesn't go "my" way, the turn of events pretty much always points me in a better direction.

Romans 8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Not A Chance!

So far, one of my favorite bits of Kevin DeYoung's "The Good News We Almost Forgot" is this part of his explanation of Lord's Day 19, in which he shares the comfort we have in Christ's return:

" . . . [T]here is no sentence left to be handed down. When you stand before the holy Son of God at the end of the age and all your deeds and thoughts are laid bare for the world to see - all your petty jealousies, all your lustful glances, all your murderous thoughts, all your self-absorbed days - there will still be nothing to fear. There is no chance that Christ will look you up and down and cry out 'Curse this one!' because He already became the curse for us. We can no more be condemned at the throne of God's judgement than God can condemn Himself a second time."

Can you imagine that event? Amazing! Christ's work is a thorough and complete work. Justification leads to sanctification and then to glorification as sure as the sun rises. What encouragement there is here for the believer: strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow!

Jesus Loves the Church

"Husbands, love your wives . . . "

I love my wife.

I love to watch her when she's laughing (especially when I've made her laugh) - I can get lost in her eyes!

I love to see her taking care of our boys when they're sick - her intuition is almost supernatural.

I love how proud she is of our sons (and she tells them so).

I love to tell people what an incredible teacher she is - she's been homeschooling for 10 years so far.

I love to make her coffee in the morning because it pleases her so much.

I love how happy it makes her when I listen closely to her while she tells me all about her day.

I love her opinion of me - whether I'm preaching, singing or being a dad - her opinion is the only human one that matters to me.

I love to watch her kissing our two youngest boys good night after they've fallen asleep - she looks at their faces and strokes their hair.

I love the way she depends on me for so many things.

However, I am a husband who is weak, riddled with weaknesses, often selfish, sometimes emotionally reclusive, and basically dim-witted. But somehow I manage to adore this woman God has united me with.

Now, if something like this can happen - if this love can be so great in spite of human frailty - can we even begin to conceive the love Christ must have for his Bride, the elect, the heirs according to His vow?

Open the link below in a new tab and listen to Keaggy's song about the love of Christ for His Bride (lyrics below):
Jesus Loves the Church (Album Version) by Phil Keaggy

You say that You believe in us,
At times I wonder why
You say You see the Father in our eyes.
But I think if I were You, Lord,
I'd wash my hands today,
And turn my back on all our alibis.

And we crucify each other,
Leaving a battered, wounded bride,
But Jesus loves the church.
So we'll walk the aisle of history,
Towards the marriage feast,
For Jesus loves the church.

We fight like selfish children,
Vying for that special prize,
We juggle with our gifts before Your face.
And I know You look with sorrow
At the blindness in our eyes
As we trip each other half-way thru the race.

And we crucify each other,
Leaving a battered, wounded bride,
But Jesus loves the church.
So we'll walk the aisle of history,
Towards the marriage feast,
For Jesus loves the church.

I want to learn to love like You,
I don't know where to start,
I want to see them all but through Your eyes.
For You believed enough to live
Amidst the maddened crowd
Enough to die before our very eyes.

But we crucify each other,
Leaving a battered, wounded bride,
But Jesus loves the church.
And so we'll walk the aisle of history,
Towards the marriage feast,
For Jesus loves the church.
Yes we'll walk the aisle of history,
Towards the marriage feast,
For Jesus loves the church.

And as He hung in naked grief,
Bleeding for our crimes
He saw our fickle hearts and cried, I Love You.

Aggravate

"We must lay siege to the hardness of our own hearts, and aggravate sin all we can . . . Conviction will breed contrition, and this leads to humiliation. Therefore desire God that He would bring a clear and a strong light into all the corners of our souls, and accompany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low." ~ Richard Sibbes, from The Bruised Reed

I've been learning of late the importance of encountering the "eruptions of my corruptions" (John Owen) with spiritual aggression. That is, actively looking to Christ as the only rescue I have from my sinful frailty, and giving the devil not the slightest foothold: giving no quarter to the smallest glimmer of temptation.

This takes more than just human effort. It isn't like doing 100 push-ups or holding my breath for three minutes. If only it were that easy! This battle is one that is against spiritual forces of evil, and the weapons I must use are not tangible ones.

These battles are won or lost based on my humility before, and therefore dependence upon, the Spirit of God and the work of Christ. "We must look on Christ, who was bruised for us, look on Him whom we have pierced with our sins." The cross is our victory, and love for Christ is the motivation to "aggravate sin all we can."

Being Bruised

Sinking into bed last night, I couldn't find the book I'd been reading (still can't...hmmm) so I picked up another one off the "coming soon" stack and read the first chapter. The book is "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes. One sentence stopped me in my tracks and instantly quieted my soul.

"After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks."

Amen. I need to know this. I need to KNOW this. Pain, loss, trial, pressure, doubt: all of these reveal our true lack of oakish strength and the ever faithful strength of the Redeemer. I need Him more than ever. Or, as much as ever, and I'm only realizing it more and more. In some mysterious way, the narrow way is a strange mingling of suffering and joy. But I don't mind, because Jesus has gone this way before, and His comfort is mine: 2 Corinthians 1:5

Chug Away

Any desire I have for God was sparked in my heart by His good Spirit. That's the truth. And I love to chug away on my Taylor like Phil Wickham does. That is also the truth.

Refresh

In Kansas, May is a month of refreshing. The days hint of the warmth to come, Spring rains gently saturate, life is in full bloom and the evenings are still cool and full of the scent of lilac and iris. When I look back in my journals during Mays-gone-by the record is clear and repetitive: brilliant! cool! refreshing! perfect! Winter's cold can bite and tear, summer's heat can oppress and fatigue, but the center of Spring can always be counted on to refresh.

Life can be a harrowing adventure, and I think that's why the times of refreshing become so cherished. I am grateful for the grace of God that brings days with relatively little trouble, when light seems to shine through every window and under every doorway. I'm even more grateful for that same grace which makes the darker days bearable (and even joyful).

But no matter what the day or season, the best refreshing is the knowledge of forgiveness:

"Repent, then, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..." Acts 3:19,20

If that isn't comfort, I don't know what is.

And what must I know to live and die in the joy of this comfort? Three things: first, how great my sin and misery are; second, how I am set free from all my sins and misery; third, how I am to thank God for such deliverance. (Heidelberg Catechism, Question Two)

Ironing Boards, Etc.

It's Friday, and high time for a good hearty laugh. That's why there's Brian Regan. Please enjoy the next 3 minutes and expect something more serious and substantial in a day or so :)

Author, Finisher, In-Betweener

"...Jesus, the author [initiator, founder] and finisher [perfecter] of our faith." Hebrews 12:2

Aside from the obvious comfort and assurance we have in the fact that our Sovereign God instigated our salvation and gave us regeneration through Christ's work and the Holy Spirit's influence (Author of our faith) AND that we have multiplied promises that He Himself will finish that work in us (Finisher of our faith), we also can logically be assured that all the stuff in between is being faithfully written out day by day by the same One.

And what a boring book our lives would be if they weren't filled with comedy, tragedy, tears, tranquility, upheaval, love stories and plot twists. Of course, there are champions, villains, faithful companions, and One True Hero. Sometimes the story is a quick read, but it can also become ponderous and thick (a la Faulkner-style stream of consciousness). However, there are chapters that are easier and even entertaining. But with every turn of the page, no matter what the content, the heart is filled and expanded. This is the case with those whose trust is in the Author and the Finisher.

BTW - He wrote my part in His book before I was born, and He's got my autograph.

I Hate My Neighbor

In Kevin DeYoung's book "The Good News We Almost Forgot", in which he expounds on the Heidelberg Catechism, we find that the answer to question #5 of the catechism regarding the keeping of Matthew 22:36-40 is: "No [I can't live up to that standard]. I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor."

How true! DeYoung says that the "Bible is full of many wonderful ethical commands, which would be very inspiring except for the fact that we are not wonderful, ethical people." :) Yes indeed.

My own efforts to be good will always be fruitful, because any effort in and of myself is not based on righteousness. Righteousness is not rule following. Righteousness keeps rules, but its origin and motivation are wholly different than that of human effort.

One last quote from DeYoung: "I'll be damned, discouraged, and dismayed if being a follower of Jesus means nothing but a new set of things I'm supposed to do for Him. Instead, my following Jesus should be, first of all, a declaration of all that He has done for me."

Amen. My approach to life, my obedience, my righteousness are based on Christ and His work. It's all the Gospel, all the time.

Holding It All Together

Last night I woke up in the wee hours and for a brief minute stared up through the skylight above my bed at the myriad stars showing through a crystal clear sky. The thought occurred to me that my God, the Sovereign God, was even at that moment superintending those giant spheres of nuclear fusion. All of it. Sovereignly under His control. All of that. And my life as well. I soon fell asleep again and rested peacefully.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17

This Scripture Is Not For Men

I once heard a preacher say that Ephesians 5:22 was not for men. And it isn't. It's not for a man to use as a reminder to his wife that she should listen to and obey him. Now wait a minute - keep reading, please . . .

This passage in Ephesians is stunning in the responsibility it lays on a man. The married woman has it quite easy in comparison with the responsibility placed on the husband. After all, all she has to do is submit (more on this in a bit). The man must love his wife "just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her." The man is the one who must die, who must love when none is returned, who must give up everything for the sake and safety of his wife. The man's place is to protect, comfort, secure and save (physically, emotionally) the wife! And that, of course, is completely like Christ, isn't it? A man must die to his selfishness, machismo and loner-proneness and use his power as the stronger partner to protect and preserve the weaker one.

Now, with a husband like that, wouldn't it be easy for a wife to submit? Wouldn't that make it a delight for a woman to trust, follow and depend on that man - just as the Church finds it delightful to trust, follow and depend on her bridegroom Christ?

Alright men, let's get to it.

Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.